"This paper discusses a formal perspective to the analysis of user interaction with machines, in general, and pilot interaction with automated flight control systems, in particular. It addresses the issue of correct interaction between the user and the machine by asking whether the information provided to the user about the machine, and the display of this information, enables the user to perform his or her tasks reliably and successfully. We explain this perspective by looking at one example of pilots' interaction with a modern autopilot." See all Evidence from this resource

"This report covers the activities related to the description, classification and analysis of the types and kinds of flight crew errors, incidents and actions, as reported to the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) database, that can occur as a result of the use of Flight Management Systems (FMSs) to fly within the national Airspace System (NAS). ... A total of 282 FMS-related reports, describing incidents reported to ASRS that occurred during 1988 and 1989, were retrieved from the ASRS database using FMS-related search terms. From these 282 reports, 129 reports were selected on the basis of the reported incident having arisen, at least in part, because of crew problems with the FMS. To this point, 99 of these reports have been reviewed in detail, and this report represents the analysis of those reports." See all Evidence from this resource

"No previous ASRS review of SID and STAR-related altitude deviations has been conducted. Thus we undertook this review to determine the causes and contributors to altitude deviations that occur during SID and STAR procedures, and to compare the results of this analysis with selected findings of the 1982 ASRS study. Looking at Reports The objective of this review was to categorize the types (i.e., undershoot or overshoot) and frequency of crossing restriction altitude deviations, and to determine the types of human performance errors that contribute to crossing restriction altitude deviations. Additionally, we looked at how and by whom these deviations are detected and corrected, and compared the number of deviations for traditional versus glass cockpit technology aircraft." See all Evidence from this resource

"This discussion will address some of the communication and leadership or responsibility issues that must be considered in the implementation or automated aids. Additionally, ASRS data will be presented to illustrate some of the conditions under which crews are likely to make errors as a result of over-reliance on automated aids. ... We have conducted an analysis of 166 reports involving automated control systems (e.g., autopilot and FMS) in conjunction with some kind of error. ... Due to the nature of ASRS data, the sample is, of course, neither random nor completely representative of all incidents. ... The sample does, however, establish the existence of a particular kind of incident, and represents the minimum number of these incidents that have occurred. Preliminary results revealed interesting patterns" See all Evidence from this resource

We obtained 591 Aviation Safety Reporting System aircraft incident reports related to crew/automation interaction. In Phase 1 of our broader study of flight deck automation problems, we reviewed these reports for citations of problems with or concerns about automation. We found citations in 282 of the reports and recorded them, along with similar citations from other sources. In Phase 2, we reviewed the 282 reports containing citations for evidence that automation problems contributed to the incident being reported. We found evidence for 41 separate flight deck automation issues. See all Evidence from this resource

"This report examines the error-tolerant properties of today's aviation task of changing altitude. Our approach is to study pilot reports to the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) of breakdowns in this normally error-tolerant task. These reports are used to assemble a composite description of the flight deck as an information processing system. ... The report emphasis is on the effect of increased cockpit automation - for aircraft navigation, guidance, and control in the current generation of glass cockpit airliners - on the type of altitude deviations reported by pilots. ... A one-page coding form was developed that allowed the ASRS incidents to be described in terms of the factors that were present in the incident. In the initial part of this study, this form was completed for altitude-deviations reports from the pilots of 50 conventional-cockpit and 50 glass cockpit aircraft. ... Examples of ASRS narratives that illustrate the trends observed in this collection of altitude deviations incidents are provided. ... The incidents are then used to construct a descriptive model of the information flow in the error-tolerant human-machine system that performs and monitors the altitude-change task. The report concludes with recommendations for procedures for the altitude-change task and for future equipment design." See all Evidence from this resource